The top baby name predictions for 2017 are here and they’re pretty unusual

The top baby name predictions for 2017 are here and they’re pretty unusual

Last week, the most popular baby names of 2016 were revealed - it's Oliver for a boy and Olivia for girls, just in case you were wondering, although parents were also influenced by popular culture, with names inspired by Star Wars and superhero characters rising up the charts.

Now experts have been predicting what baby naming trends we'll be seeing in 2017 and it looks like next year will be all about breaking with convention and choosing something a little more unique for your little ones.

Instead of taking their inspiration from the movie charts, according to Nameberry co-founder Pamela Redmond, parents will be looking to the gods instead, with names like Thor, Persephone, Odin, Freya, Jupiter, Luna, Atlas, Clio, Orion, Morrigan, Pandora, and Zeus all set to rise in popularity.

Which means playgroups will be filled with lots of little deities in a few years' time.

Redmond suggests that this trend for strong 'power' names will also see parents adopting the first names and surnames of feminist heroines for their children.

Iconic literary names, be they authors or famous Shakesperean characters, are also predicted to be big in the baby world. So, expect to hear of babies called Cordelia, Ophelia, Cassio and Orlando, or Austen, Bronte, Poe, and Wilde.

Finally, Redmond believes that fierce animal names will be on the rise, particularly for boys - that's names such as Hawk, Tiger, Falcon and Fox (which sound like they're straight out of 90s TV show Gladiators).